The American clergyman Henry Ward Beecher once described the dog as the “god of frolic”. Who can question the joy dogs bring to so many of us? When we are down, they bring us up. They excite us when we are weary and console us in moments of great despair. My best friend when I was a kid was a dog; my favourite show on TV was Scooby-Doo.
But dogs are not universally benign. Some of them menace and kill. Of course, this is not entirely their fault. Dogs are bred for certain characteristics and behaviour. The affectionate golden retriever. The sweet cocker spaniel. The trustworthy German shepherd.
